Rankin County OKs conditional‑use permit for 4‑acre exempt mine on Stump Ridge after contested hearing

The Rankin County Board of Supervisors on April 15 approved a conditional‑use permit allowing a 4‑acre mining operation on Stump Ridge Road, the board said, despite sustained public opposition over truck traffic, dust and road damage.

The board’s approval applies only to the specific 4‑acre area that the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) granted as an exempt mining site; the permit requires the operator to stake and clearly flag the four acres and to follow a haul route and other conditions the board set. The board’s vote was recorded as four in favor and one abstention.

County planning staff and the applicant said the operation would be limited to the 4 acres approved by MDEQ and that any additional mining on the same larger parcel would require a separate DEQ review and another county permit. Staff recommended standard conditions including daytime hours, on‑site dust control and daily road cleaning.

Applicant and permit details

The application was filed by landowner Seth Bilborough for two adjoining parcels (recorded in the meeting as parcel L‑13‑20 and L‑13‑21, a combined 160 acres). County staff said MDEQ had approved a notice of exempt mining for a 4‑acre pit. The county planner explained the permit would be limited to the DEQ‑exempt footprint.

County staff described typical conditions the board often requires for exempt mines: a water truck for dust control, posting “trucks entering highway” signs, daily sweeping to keep public roads clear of debris, staking the exempt 4‑acre area, and protection of the public right‑of‑way at the pit entrance. The planner cited the board’s authority under Mississippi Code Annotated Section 65‑7‑4 to require a bond or other collateral to protect county roads if heavy hauling will…